1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the field of utility hooks. More particularly, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for purposes of illustration, the present invention relates to utility hooks that are utilized in the bed of a pick up truck to hold bags, packages, netting, and the like.
2. Discussion
Pick-up trucks typically have a bed for transporting various types of cargo. Often it is desirable to hold the cargo in position in the bed of a pick-up truck. A vast array of systems that may be used to tie down or secure cargo has been utilized in the past. One such design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,848, titled "Payload Tie-Down System", issued Jul. 9, 1996. This patent discloses a series of S-shaped clipped disposed about the perimeter of the truck bed. These utility hooks can be used to tie down cargo within the bed or may even be used to hold bags having handles, packages, or the like.
Many other designs to hold bags, packages, or tie down structure are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,324, titled "Retaining Cover for an Open Back Truck", issued Aug. 11, 1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,288, titled "Plastic Grocery-Bag Holder Rack for Use in Vehicles", issued Jun. 27, 1995, disclose alternate methods to provide utility hooks, clips, or the like in a pick-up truck environment.
Although the aforementioned patents are satisfactory in function they are unappealing to the eyes of most people. Ideally, a utility hook system that could be hidden from sight would be preferable. Such a system is needed to hold articles while not detracting from the visual appearance of the truck. U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,388, titled "Hidden Adjustable Tie-Down Device", issued Feb. 17, 1996, claims a "tie-down device which is generally hidden from view and does not detract from the appearance of the truck." (Column 2 Lines 19-21). Although '388 does a satisfactory job in concealing the tie-down device, the device is still readily visible from a number of various angles. There is, therefore, a need to provide a tie down device or a utility hook system for a pick-up truck that is that can be concealed to a further degree in order to further limit the visibility of such a part.